Candidates spar over “richest poor people in the world” comments at 17th Worcester candidate forum

Thursday

Aug 30, 2018 at 2:56 PMAug 30, 2018 at 3:01 PM

The three Democratic candidates for the 17th Worcester District state rep. seat proved a unified front as they battled with the lone Republican on stage at the Unity Radio candidate forum on the necessity of social services, abortion rights and armed guards in city schools.

A combination of gasps and groans rippled through the crowd at Our Lady of the Angels Church when Republican candidate Paul Fullen said “our poor people are among the richest poor people in the world. They have cell phones… they have air conditioning.” He made the remark after the three Democrats on stage – Stu Loosemore, Pam Gemme and David LeBoeuf – argued the Worcester Regional Transit Authority needed improvement and better funding.

Fullen instead argued that the system was outmoded and that the state should not put any more money into it, instead letting it “run its course.” He rebuked claims that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft were too costly, saying the area’s working poor should either pay for the service or pay increased fares for the bus.

When asked later to defend his comments about the area’s low income folks, Fullen went on the attack. Looking over at LeBoeuf, he said “David is easily offended. It’s obvious.”

The exchange was one of several that offered an early glimpse of what the tenor of the race may look like when one of the three Democrats on stage advances to challenge Fullen in November. The three are up for the Democratic nomination at the State Primary Election next Tuesday.

Fullen argued against the necessity of sex education while the others spoke of how to roll out a state-wide curriculum, at one point rebuking a claim made by a moderator that STDs were on the rise in Worcester County by saying “I don’t see the numbers. I don’t believe it.”

On the issue of school safety, Fullen advocated for armed guards while the Democrats each spoke of the necessity to create positive school environments and fund social services like therapists and social workers.

Gemme and Fullen sparred on abortion rights. Gemme asked Fullen why he protested in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Worcester, saying it has the effect of bullying the women who use the service. Fullen said he was “praying for those women.”

While the three Democrats discussed ways to make health care less expensive, especially for the poor and seniors, Fullen argued the system was rife with fraud. At one point, he painted a grim picture of a MassHealth recipient who asks for a waived copay before driving away in an Escalade.

Each of the Democrats focused their remarks on the need for good jobs, better health care, and reform to the state’s school spending formula.